Buddhist Golden Temple

At a distance of 34 km from Madikeri, 4.5 km from Kushalnagar, 7 km from Cauvery Nisargadhama & 87 km from Mysore, the Golden Temple or Namdroling Monastery is a beautiful Buddhist Monastery situated in Bylakuppe. Bylakuppe is the second largest Tibetans settlement in India after Dharamshala. This Buddhist Monastery is one of the most popular tourist places to visit in Coorg.
From Kushalnagar, one needs to follow the Mysore-madikeri road for next 2-3 Kms until one crosses the river Kaveri. After crossing the bridge, a drive for next 200 meters is required until one sees a board to the right for the Monastery.

Golden Temple Monastery timings are 7 AM to 8 PM. The best time to visit the temple is during the festive season. Various masked dances in their colourful attires can be seen performing their traditional dances at the main courtyard during festival. During this time, the main courtyard turns into an open stage for masked dancers and performers to present lively performances amid enthralling traditional music. The Tibetan New year (Losar) which usually occurs in the month of February or March is a best time to plan your visit.

Along with Golden Temple/Monastery, there are many other sightseeing places in Bylakuppe, making it an ideal place to visit from Mysore and even a perfect weekend getaway from Bangalore.
Modelled after the Sera University of Tibet, Sera Je Monastery plays a key role in keeping the culture of Buddhist alive with more than 5000 students studying here. Around it, you will find various stores selling traditional Tibetan jewellery and other artefacts. 
Another place drawing visitors notice is the Sakya Monastery, which is a double-storey structure, with maroon color painted over it.
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe is one of the prominent monasteries in the country. Being the original seat of Panchen Lama, it is considered as one among the four great monasteries of Central Tibet. It has more than 250 resident lamas who learn sutra and tantra here.

Second largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet, Bylakuppe houses many monks and students. First being Dharamsala in India. Now turned into a Bylakuppe consists of two Tibetan refugee settlements, namely Lugsum Samdupling” which was established in 1961 and “Dickyi Larsoe” which was set up in 1969.

This monastery or golden temple was established in the year of 1963, by His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche shortly after his exit from Tibet in 1959 as the second seat of the Palyul Monastery which is one of the six great Tibet Nyingma Mother monasteries. The full name of the Namdroling Monastery is Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargyeling. Initially spread over an area of 80 sq. feet, this temple was constructed of the bamboo from the forest which was donated by the Indian Government to the Tibetan exiles.
The temple houses three captivating golden statues, namely of Buddha, Padmasambhava, and Amitayus. Each statue is about the height of 40 feet. Every part of the temple depicts beautiful designs. It is said to be the largest teaching centre Nyingmapa which is a prime a lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Its walls have been decorated with intricate paintings. These colourful paintings illustrate stories of God and demons from Tibetan Buddhist mythology. The altar of the temple is filled with flowers, candles and incense sticks.

The monastery not only attracts large number of young Tibetans seeking enlightenment and education, but also draws large number of tourists from all over India and abroad. Watching hundreds of Buddhist monks doing religious rituals and offering prayers loudly is an exciting sight. This place is a calm and majestic sight, surrounded by its landscaped gardens. The town is a delight to visit during festivals such as the Tibetan New Year (Losar), which is celebrated with much fervor at the monastery. It is celebrated in February / March over a period of fifteen days. During that time, the monastery hosts traditional colourful lama dances and huge thangkas, a Tibetan silk painting with embroidery depicts Buddhist deity. The Tiny Tibetan colony in here is an ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The enclosed calm and the spiritual ambiance of the place welcomes all the visitors.